Another Cheap Bass Is Awesome: First Act Discussion

[ejaggers]

Warning!!!
Some of you hate these “My Cheap Bass Is Awesome” threads,
so continue at your own risk, but this is my story.

I bought a First Act used for $40 a while back for my kid grandson who has musical talent,
In fact, he has perfect pitch. I was hoping he would gravitate to bass,
but he went to drums instead.

Meanwhile it’s been my sandbox when I wanted to mod, tinker, and learn.
I’ve improved on it, but never really played it.
I was GAS’N for a medium scale for a good while before I realized it was.
I was in the same camp as most of you about First Act, thinking it is crap,
before I checked it myself.

The fret work is smooth, the sound is good, and I’ve already modded as follows for my grandson:
- Black tuners came from my Epi Tbird.
- Tinted headstock and custom decal.
- Maple pickguard and control knobs.
- Wilkinson Black brass saddle bridge.
- Cream PUP cover.
- Thinking of ebonizing the rosewood fingerboard.
- Thinking of upgrading electronics (which doesn’t seem necessary right now).

I do a decent setup to keep things going,
but I’m taking it to my luthier to get a onetime proper setup today.
He thinks he can make it a better player with a few tweaks,
and he gives me a good price on upgrading electronics, since I solder like crap.

I’m not saying it will blow away your Am Pro Fender or Sadowsky,
but it is definitely on par with my Epiphones.

Some posts say, “It Was My First Bass And It Was Junk”, but they never said why, so
I think it probably made me gear snobbish because it’s never been in any of the family photos.
And when I said how many basses, I owned I never counted it,
it’s not even in my TB signature.

But I have a newfound respect for it, and I’m going to see were this journey goes.
As Ya’ll know, I modded the hell out of an Affinity, and now it IS awesome.
I hope I can catch lightning in a bottle again.

057912

 

[ZedLepp]

I love taking cheap basses/guitars and making them awesome. Good job.

 

[garp]

If it works, it works. And if your grandson knows what's good for him, he'll come home to bass eventually.

Some posts say, “It Was My First Bass And It Was Junk”, but they never said why

I suspect that the only thing wrong with my first bass was me. Back then, I was ignorant about electric guitars in general, and didn't realize that the darn thing could actually be adjusted to make it more playable. Live and learn, as "they" say.

 

[MakoMan]

I like cheap basses a lot. They are always lying around the house ready to play at any moment while my nicer basses sit in their cases. I actually kinda like the look of your First Act. Must be a fun modding platform.
I have a couple of Jay Turser Mini basses. The red one I bought for 60 bucks when I first started playing bass in order to plink around the house and to have a second bass. Over the years I grew to like it so much I changed the tuners, put in SD Quarter Pounders for more output and quite a few other little things, but left it looking stock as a sleeper bass. Then somewhere along the way I realized I didn't like it as much as I used to and wasn't playing it as much. It had amazing output, great tuners and bridge
Last year I found another Turser mini bass at a garage sale in a fairly rare metallic surf blue color. I think they only made that color for one year. It was super cheap so of course I bought it. Threw some flats on it and fell in love again.

 

[ejaggers]

I like cheap basses a lot. They are always lying around the house ready to play at any moment while my nicer basses sit in their cases. I actually kinda like the look of your First Act. Must be a fun modding platform.
I have a couple of Jay Turser Mini basses. The red one I bought for 60 bucks when I first started playing bass in order to plink around the house and to have a second bass. Over the years I grew to like it so much I changed the tuners, put in SD Quarter Pounders for more output and quite a few other little things, but left it looking stock as a sleeper bass. Then somewhere along the way I realized I didn't like it as much as I used to and wasn't playing it as much. It had amazing output, great tuners and bridge
Last year I found another Turser mini bass at a garage sale in a fairly rare metallic surf blue color. I think they only made that color for one year. It was super cheap so of course I bought it. Threw some flats on it and fell in love again.

I was also thinking about putting in a SD 1/4 lbs in it but it sounds good as is, maybe later.
I dropped it off at the luthier yesterday and asked him for his honest opinion about the neck,
and he was impressed since it's a First Act.

He's also staining the rosewood fingerboard tobacco since he's got that on hand.
I really want black since the bass is a black/sparkle but I'm still reluctant to spend unnecessary money on it.

You should post your mini Jay, we'd like to see it.

057912

 

[rockdoc11]

While I'm not generally a fan of cheap basses, I've always found it amusing that First Act seems to come up with interesting and aesthetically decent bass and guitar body designs given their $12 design budgets.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I used one of those necks on a body I made because it was 32” scale and I got the bass for under $50. Leveled the frets, got the nut slots to the right height and cleaned and oiled the board (not in that order) and it’s a good neck. Had it together since the end of summer and it’s been stable. Heck, it even has the original tuners on it until or unless one breaks.

 

[dabbler]

I don't have any First Act basses, but if my First Act guitars are any indication, I would have NO problem owning one:

The shapes are kinda funky, but the tone and feel are great! I no longer have the blue one, but not because it wasn't good, it just overlapped with other guitars I had.

 

[ejaggers]

I used one of those necks on a body I made because it was 32” scale and I got the bass for under $50. Leveled the frets, got the nut slots to the right height and cleaned and oiled the board (not in that order) and it’s a good neck. Had it together since the end of summer and it’s been stable. Heck, it even has the original tuners on it until or unless one breaks.

View attachment 3717199

Man, I like that bass!!!
Did you do the paisley on the body yourself?

I’ve been wanting to refin a paisley like the old ‘70s P, but I haven’t found any wallpaper that I like.
Who knows, since this is my sandbox, I might try my hand at a Re-Ranch refin, since I not that crazy about the black sparkle.

But when I get it back, I'll see how it goes before I go mod crazy again,
because now the mod's are for me, not my grandson, and ya'll know how I get.

057912

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Man, I like that bass!!!
Did you do the paisley on the body yourself?

I’ve been wanting to refin a paisley like the old ‘70s P, but I haven’t found any wallpaper that I like.
Who knows, since this is my sandbox, I might try my hand at a Re-Ranch refin, since I not that crazy about the black sparkle.

But when I get it back, I'll see how it goes before I go mod crazy again,
because now the mod's are for me, not my grandson, and ya'll know how I get.

057912

Yes I did. It’s cloth and just lay down clear until the texture of the cloth is filled, burst or install binding and more clear. Then, sand and buff until it looks like you picture it looking. I wish it was as easy as it sounds! Really though, it’s not that bad. I’ve done a couple of fabric tops. If you search around on the Texas Toast Guitars YouTube channel they have a few videos about building fabric tops, although I did my first ones before I saw any of those, and BigD guitars has some about a metallic paisley Tele body he did with wallpaper, I think it was?

 

[jd56hawk]

Warning!!!
Some of you hate these “My Cheap Bass Is Awesome” threads,
so continue at your own risk, but this is my story.

I bought a First Act used for $40 a while back for my kid grandson who has musical talent,
In fact, he has perfect pitch. I was hoping he would gravitate to bass,
but he went to drums instead.

Meanwhile it’s been my sandbox when I wanted to mod, tinker, and learn.
I’ve improved on it, but never really played it.
I was GAS’N for a medium scale for a good while before I realized it was.
I was in the same camp as most of you about First Act, thinking it is crap,
before I checked it myself.

The fret work is smooth, the sound is good, and I’ve already modded as follows for my grandson:
- Black tuners came from my Epi Tbird.
- Tinted headstock and custom decal.
- Maple pickguard and control knobs.
- Wilkinson Black brass saddle bridge.
- Cream PUP cover.
- Thinking of ebonizing the rosewood fingerboard.
- Thinking of upgrading electronics (which doesn’t seem necessary right now).

I do a decent setup to keep things going,
but I’m taking it to my luthier to get a onetime proper setup today.
He thinks he can make it a better player with a few tweaks,
and he gives me a good price on upgrading electronics, since I solder like crap.

I’m not saying it will blow away your Am Pro Fender or Sadowsky,
but it is definitely on par with my Epiphones.

Some posts say, “It Was My First Bass And It Was Junk”, but they never said why, so
I think it probably made me gear snobbish because it’s never been in any of the family photos.
And when I said how many basses, I owned I never counted it,
it’s not even in my TB signature.

But I have a newfound respect for it, and I’m going to see were this journey goes.
As Ya’ll know, I modded the hell out of an Affinity, and now it IS awesome.
I hope I can catch lightning in a bottle again.

057912
View attachment 3715864

I'd choose that over quite a few other popular cheap basses!

 

[Uncle Eric]

Warning!!!
Some of you hate these “My Cheap Bass Is Awesome” threads,
so continue at your own risk, but this is my story.

I bought a First Act used for $40 a while back for my kid grandson who has musical talent,
In fact, he has perfect pitch. I was hoping he would gravitate to bass,
but he went to drums instead.

Meanwhile it’s been my sandbox when I wanted to mod, tinker, and learn.
I’ve improved on it, but never really played it.
I was GAS’N for a medium scale for a good while before I realized it was.
I was in the same camp as most of you about First Act, thinking it is crap,
before I checked it myself.

The fret work is smooth, the sound is good, and I’ve already modded as follows for my grandson:
- Black tuners came from my Epi Tbird.
- Tinted headstock and custom decal.
- Maple pickguard and control knobs.
- Wilkinson Black brass saddle bridge.
- Cream PUP cover.
- Thinking of ebonizing the rosewood fingerboard.
- Thinking of upgrading electronics (which doesn’t seem necessary right now).

I do a decent setup to keep things going,
but I’m taking it to my luthier to get a onetime proper setup today.
He thinks he can make it a better player with a few tweaks,
and he gives me a good price on upgrading electronics, since I solder like crap.

I’m not saying it will blow away your Am Pro Fender or Sadowsky,
but it is definitely on par with my Epiphones.

Some posts say, “It Was My First Bass And It Was Junk”, but they never said why, so
I think it probably made me gear snobbish because it’s never been in any of the family photos.
And when I said how many basses, I owned I never counted it,
it’s not even in my TB signature.

But I have a newfound respect for it, and I’m going to see were this journey goes.
As Ya’ll know, I modded the hell out of an Affinity, and now it IS awesome.
I hope I can catch lightning in a bottle again.

057912

 

[Uncle Eric]

I think it's awesome what you do, I like refurbishing guitars and basses too. I have a few affordable basses but none under $200.